Welcome to Tena City

At about 600 meters above sea level, Tena is the capital of the Napo Province. This province, with an area of 33,930 sq km is almost an eighth of the country and is the largest in Ecuador. Despite its size, only about 110,200 people live here, with Tena housing about 14,000 of them. Tena was founded in 1560 and was the most easterly of Ecuador's early colonial missionary and trading outposts. There were several Indian uprisings in the early days, notably in 1578 when Jumandy, chief of the Quijos. led an unsuccessful revolt against the Spaniards. Tena survived the uprising, though many early jungle towns were completely wiped out by other Indian attacks. Today, the area is largely agricultural. with cattle ranches and coffee or banana plantations. It is at the junction of the Tena and Pano rivers and is a growing center for Ecuadorian tourism. The average year-round temperature is 24C, with the rivers having a moderating effect on the climate.